A week after the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) announced that it had repaired nearly 100 buses for the new academic year, commuters said they are still baffled with the lengthy wait times to get to their destinations.

Checks made in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region and St Catherine on Monday revealed frustrated crowds at bus stops from as early as 6:30 am.

Corporate communications manager at the JUTC Cecil Thoms told the Jamaica Observer that there were issues with buses on several routes due to a strike by other public transport operators in the Stony Hill and Lawrence Tavern areas.

“Today was particularly challenging for us because of the strike actions. Especially where that matter is concerned, we had to reroute up to 12 buses in the areas. Other areas, where the number 75 would have been, were affected to take those other commuters who were indisposed to their various destinations,” he said.

“We are hearing that this particular protest action may continue into the week and if that is the case, we may have some kind of dislocation in certain routes because we have to divert, but it has to be managed. It is true that we have done a fair amount of rehabilitation of buses and we are going to continue to do that,” he added.

Thoms also said that the company is yet to receive spare parts to improve the fleet, due to challenges at Kingston Wharves in clearing the items.

One woman who gave her name as Keniesha said although she got a bus to take her daughter to school on time, she had challenges returning home.

“I have only seen two buses in the 30 minutes and they are coming packed. I brought my daughter to school this morning from 5:00, on the number 16 in Portmore. I am trying to go back home but no JUTC. Anything I can get right now, I will take,” said Keniesha, who was at a bus stop at Cross Roads.

Another female commuter in Cross Roads said she had been awaiting a number 66 bus from downtown Kingston.

“A bus should leave town about 7:15 am but I am not seeing that bus. Normally, what I have to do is come out earlier and catch the 6:30 bus because after that you don’t get another bus until 8:30 am. This has been the case from summer — but it is worse now,” she said.

Other commuters seen at bus stops on Washington Boulevard had similar plights.

“Mi out here from minutes to 8:00 am and 9:14 am mi still nuh get no bus. I have to be waiting for an hour and a half or hour and 15 minutes before getting a bus,” said a man who gave his name as Vascian.

One woman, Melisa, said despite buses being restored and re-entered into the fleet, there is still trouble traversing the Corporate Area.

“There is none [no bus], especially in Constant Spring where I live — number 49 to be exact. Most people just take the taxi,” she said.

There were complaints about the number 75 and number 32 at Duhaney Park bus stops.

Cassandra Shaw admitted that she saw other buses except the one she needed to get to her destination.

“I have been waiting so long for a number 32. This morning is really a challenge. The number 75 and number 23 pass mi and all now mi nuh see nuh 32,” she said.

Another commuter assumed that heavy traffic caused the delay in the buses running on time.

“I have been here for 20 minutes but I believe the traffic on the road is taking them longer than usual. The 75 was running quite nicely last week, but it’s taking longer to come today,” she said.

One man, who gave his name as Mr Louis, said he failed to believe the bus company increased its fleet.

“Is about 25 minutes now mi a wait fi a number 75 and mi nuh move; a pure foolishness. JUTC nuh have no bus, is lie dem telling,” he said.

At the Portmore terminus, a few irate commuters were awaiting numbers 17 and 18 buses for more than an hour.

“About an hour now, no bus nuh come. Every week is the same problem. From it reach certain hours — 9:00 am, 10:00 am, or even 1:00 pm, yuh suffer fi get a bus. Sometimes when mi out here mi haffi turn round back, cyaan get no bus and cancel my plans because the time pass; mi cyaan go again,” one woman said.

She said that she only relies on the JUTC buses, as other modes of transportation are costly.

“Nobody cyaan afford taxi fare — $300 and $500 dem charge. Adults going to work and children going to school and they are forced to take the taxis because there is no bus. Sometimes JUTC operators come with the bus and park up for so many hours,” she said.

Another woman who requested anonymity claimed that the Portmore service was the worst, particularly routes serviced by numbers 1, 17, 18 and 20 buses. “Joke business. Dem a send one, one bus come. If you nuh get no bus you suffer out here. Rain fall, sun come, no bus,” she fumed.